THE second staging of Tropicana Tropics Mango Jam, held on the grounds of the Little London High School in Westmoreland last Sunday, had impressive performances from Kip Rich, Busy Signal and gospel artiste Kevin Downswell.

But organisers say they were unhappy with the level of support from the community for the event which formed part of a fund- raising activities to aid the school in acquiring a bus.

“We are a little disappointed in the poor showing from the community and the paucity of support from corporate Jamaica, but we are appreciative of those who are helping the effort now,” said Ian Myles, event coordinator.

“We are extremely grateful to Tropicana Tropics who have been with us since inception and their support has grown so we are moving to our target of $7 million that is required. Regardless of the obstacles, we are committed, and if it takes five years we will realise the dream of getting a bus for the school,” said Myles.

“It is our hope that the community will own the event and eventually for it to become an international one attracting tourists to the area, further cementing the show as the main fund-raiser for the school,” he continued.

Earlier in the day, patrons were treated to food offerings from a number of stalls utilising mangoes as a main ingredient.

The mango jerk chicken and mango crab stew found particular favour with a number of patrons.

“We are happy to be the title sponsor for this event; it allows families the opportunity to come out and enjoy delicious mango- incorporated dishes, wholesome entertainment, the kiddies’ village and our Tropicana Tropics juice bar that provided exquisite blends with fruits and our products. It is also for a worthy cause so we are happy to assist in any way we can,” Cornelia Nathan, Tropicana Tropics brand manager, told Splash.

The night concluded with powerful performances from Downswell, who sang and also ministered to the crowd, and Kip Rich, who followed up with an awesome performance, interacting and connecting well with the audience. Busy Signal closed out the show with a short, but exciting, stint.